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More Than a Junior Program: How the NJHA Builds a Legacy of Leaders
BY TAR TUT MN
The National Junior Hereford Association has built a legacy that stretches far beyond show halters and backdrop photos. For generations, the NJHA has shaped young people into leaders who carry themselves with confidence, communicate with purpose, and value the community that raised them. Ask former members what the program meant to them, and the answers point to the same truth. The NJHA does more than teach kids how to show cattle. It gives them a foundation they lean on for the rest of their lives. “Being part of the NJHA throughout my youth provided an unmatched opportunity to learn, network and lead,” said former junior member Taylor Belle Matheny. She credits the
association for much of her communication and leadership ability, along with friendships she still holds close today. Stories like hers echo across the breed. They are the heart of what makes this program so influential. A Foundation Built on Growth The NJHA’s roots trace back to a time when horned and polled juniors operated separately. When the American Hereford Association brought the two national breed groups together, juniors followed suit, forming a unified youth organization with shared goals and a stronger national identity. As the first combined Junior National Hereford Expo came to life, juniors discovered quickly that this was more than just another cattle show. It became
a gathering place for kids from across the country who shared the same passion for Hereford cattle, learning, and the friendships formed along the way. For members like Ralston Ripp Braden, who grew up in the program, those early experiences left a profound impact. “My closest friends and biggest mentors came from this association,” she said. “It opened doors I never imagined and shaped my love for leadership, public speaking and sharing our story in agriculture.” Her words reflect the experience of countless families who have watched their children grow up in the NJHA. The structure is there, but it is the relationships and the culture that bring it to life. More Than a Show Ring While the show ring is where many
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